CHAPTER 1

Imagine my surprise when I enter the sitting room of my childhood home, already dreading the evening, and find the very object of my pain, love and happiness sitting there chatting with my sister, as if she belonged on that sofa.

She looked different, but then again she didn't. Her hair was longer, her eyes were as bright as ever, she looked beautiful and sexy in that baby blue designer dress. She looked like she came from the cover of a fashion magazine and I didn't really know what to think.

I stood there gaping for a few seconds before my mother cleared her throat and I found my voice and composure again.

I went over to my mother and kissed her cheek lightly, "Mother, how are you?" She smiled at me and ushered to greet the rest. I went over to my grandpa next; he mumbled something about fortunes and hypocrites and asked for a second drink. Not knowing what he meant and really not wanting to know, I greeted my father with a handshake and confused look, but he just smiled and ushered me to Honor, even though my feet felt like they were made of stone.

Hugging Honor I whispered a quick question, but she just shook her head and sat down next to Rory again. I was at a serious loss for words, but she didn't look fazed at all.

"Logan, it's nice to see you again."

Good grief, that voice, my name from her lips, that smile.... I could die right now and I'd die a happy man, I heard her say my name again.

"Ac--- uh, Rory, it's nice to see you again as well."

I had to bite my tongue not to call her Ace. I didn't want to know what would happen during the rest of the evening.

The dinner went surprisingly well. My parents didn't fight, my mother even looked delighted that Rory sat at our table, Honor was happily talking about shopping sprees in Rome and grandpa, well he grumbled in his beard and let us be. Rory was Rory, she smiled and joked with Honor, she answered my mother's rather pointless questions about New York and my father's few comments on her work. Grandpa asked about her family a few times, about the deceased Straub and Francine Hayden and about her father.

And then it dawned on me. Three months ago, Straub Hayden's widow, Francine Hayden had died, and according to a newspaper I've just flown over, most of the belongings of the Haydens, including their Hartford mansion, and a large sum of money and stocks have gone to the one of the inheritors, the eldest granddaughter Lorelai Leigh Gilmore Hayden, Rory. And since Rory was well over the age of twenty one, all the things she inherited were rightfully hers. The other half of the inheritance was with her half-sister G.G., or rather her father since G.G. was still a child. And that Ladies and Gentlemen is the reason Rory is sitting across from me at my parents' dinner table. I should have known that it was something fishy. My mother is a snake, now she's trying to get me and Rory back together, no doubt about that. But as much as I still love my Ace and miss her, I hope she doesn't fall in my mom's trap, she doesn't deserve that.

I say that and yet I take every chance at engaging Rory in a conversation. We're still more then compatible, we still easily slip into banter mode and I still laugh at her jokes. She looks at me with those eyes of hers and I'm falling deeper and deeper, drowning, my only coherent thought is that I want to garb her, kiss her and never let her go again. Oh God I've missed her so much.

The dinner is over and my parents are seeing Rory out. We say goodbye to them at the door and head towards our cars. My black Jag is parked behind her blue Mercedes and we chat a bit before we say goodbye. I don't want to say goodbye and it seems that Rory doesn't want to as well.

When I felt her hand on my chest, as she talked about Lane's band I realized just how close to each other we're standing. I'm completely intoxicated by her and when I look into her eyes I see the desire I feel reflected in them. I can't hold it anymore, I crane my neck downwards, she looks up and in one perfect moment our lips meet.

Her lips are as soft and warm as I remember them and I grab hold of her neck with one hand, the other goes to her hip and I deepen the kiss. She's eagerly responding, molding her lips to mine, wrapping her arms around my neck. I bite her lower lip gently, and she opens her mouth enough to let my tongue in. I slip in, and caress my tongue softly over hers and then around her mouth, exploring, tasting. How I missed her taste, her arms around my neck, the feeling of her body in my arms. I wish we could stay like this forever.

AN: And that's the first chapter. I know it's short but bear with me, I promise to make the next one longer. Thank you for all your reviews, I'm really grateful. Please keep on reviewing and I'll keep on updating.

Jas